UN: Indonesian Hospitals Overwhelmed By Earthquake Survivors
By VOA News
01 June 2006
An earthquake survivor who lost his wife in Saturday＇s earthquake wipes his face as he sits on the ruins of his house in Bantul, Indonesia, Wednesday, May 31, 2006
The United Nations says Indonesian hospitals on Java island remain overwhelmed with survivors of Saturday＇s earthquake.
Indonesia said Thursday the death toll from the 6.3 magnitude quake has risen to more than 6,200.
Indonesian authorities are trying to relieve overcrowding at hospitals in Yogyakarta province by transferring patients to other cities and urging others to return home.
But, the U.N.＇s humanitarian affairs agency says many survivors are reluctant to leave the hospitals because their homes were ruined and they have no other shelter.
Patients remain crammed in hospital corridors while others sleep on pieces of cardboard in parking lots. Doctors say they also lack basic supplies to treat the tens of thousands of injured people.
U.N. officials say 22 countries have contributed to the relief effort so far, sending supplies or disaster response teams. But, Jakarta continues to hear complaints from survivors who are still in need of food, water, shelter and medical supplies.
Saturday＇s quake is estimated to have damaged or destroyed more than 100,000 homes. About 200,000 people were made homeless.
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